How would you define a person?

[Maisy]

I myself, yea focus on some body thing? not for me. I don't like the body all that much and don't consider it me or mine. So it's the last thing I'd want to pay attention to. The body automatically breathes. It's a brain thing. I'd not want to get involved with that. I'm happy it takes place subconsciously. Most times we are not aware of our breathing and I like that. For me, the less aware of my body and it's mind and thoughts the better.

But I am stuck in a body so I do try to make it healthy. So exercise and try to eat right etc. Body does have a lot of pleasures which is great. But then it has pain too, emotional or physical, so there's that. I would not say the mind wanders, I would say sometimes we get lost in thought and sometimes we don't. But then thoughts can bring us pleasure or pain. I can think happy thoughts or sad thoughts. We do have the potential to influence such things. But yea some habitually dwell on negative things. They don't exercise much control over such things or they just get in a rut. It's not equal either. Some do have a lot to be unhappy about. Everything works out for some and others have everything go wrong. But that really does not have to affect one's contentment or happiness as I said, one can learn to not care about what is happening. It's all temporary anyway. Lives are relatively short.

Sometimes I think "drifting away" is great! I've been going for long walks recently and I love it when I lose all sense of time as I "drift away" into some thought thing. Other times of course thought is all on the past and bad memories or whatever and so "drifting" into that stuff is bad. But then the issue for me is what exactly I am paying attention to or where my attention is so I get why some may think, oh keep the attention on the breathing. But yea I don't like paying attention to the body in any way lol. Paying attention to my breathing is not pleasurable to me in anyway. If I notice my attention is on bad thoughts, that noticing stops it. I don't need to try to watch something else like my breath. That sounds like a chore to me having to watch or be aware of my body's automatic junk. I'd say just take your attention off of thoughts. No need to "put it" on some-thing else. Have it on nothing mental that's all. Don't care about what's in your body mind. Give it no attention.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by J_A_S_G

Suffering is simply a reaction when what is isn't what we want it to be.

Of course. But if you were in a situation where you lost all that you hold most dear, would you really have the capacity to say, "Never mind. It is what it is."

We can come out with all sorts of intellectual ideals, but actually living these ideals is a different matter.

Peace

[J_A_S_G]

Originally Posted by iamthat

But if you were in a situation where you lost all that you hold most dear, would you really have the capacity to say, "Never mind. It is what it is."

I don't know where my breaking point is, but I do know it's been pushed back and quite a bit and that's because of practice.

I understand there's the ideal and there's the practical, and the practical can be stretched in the direction of the ideal.

Self-inflicted isn't a negative judgement. It's just a fact and it applies to me too and I know it. Since it is self-inficted I should be able to addrerss and mitigate it, if not in whole at least in part. If it's not self-inflicted but inflicted by the world there's probably not all that much I can do about it.

I can't do much about much of the pain the world throws at me, but I can do something about my reaction. It's the Buddha's Second Arrow parable. Freedom from suffering is central to Buddhism.

[Miss Hepburn]

Gee, I think I would define a person as a being that was given the
illusion of free will and the illusion that they are a 'separate' body from the Whole.
'Illusion of free will' is not to say they have none...it's just all 'will' comes from One Source...appearing to be separate.

So a 'person'?
Part of, or extension of God with a direct link sending everything back to that Godhead.
Just as a leaopard killing a baby zebra is sending experiences and messages, information to the Source.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I don't need to try to watch something else like my breath. That sounds like a chore to me having
to watch or be aware of my body's automatic junk.

Can't quote the whole post...VERY astute, imo.
Loved it.
There is something you don't know...a little thing, but powerful and imp.
The breath l e a d s to 'something'. (Do the Buddhists know this, I dunno...I'm not Buddhist.)

If followed, it can lead to the very Invisible Power that makes your fingernails grow while you sleep .. and
your hair grow right now...
To the power within an apple seed that grows to a tree!

That Invisible Power is what lies just 'behind' your breath..talk about
taking you to the non -physical or to the Divine ...
well there you have it!
Do they teach this in school or churches? No.

But it IS funny that this Breath of LIfe, the inspiration, in Spirit...has
breadcrumbs to follow...focusing on the breath
within this mortal body...leading to a WORLD of Wonder.
(And you don't have to believe a word I say.)
But, I do talk from experience.


Added: Online:'' In some spiritual traditions, breath is seen as a conduit to God or a divine connection.
For example, Hinduism views breath as a vital force (prana) linked to spiritual practices and divine unity.
Additionally, certain Christian interpretations emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit, often associated with breath,
in connecting individuals with God.''

[J_A_S_G]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

There is something you don't know...a little thing, but powerful and imp.
The breath l e a d s to 'something'. (Do the Buddhists know this, I dunno...I'm not Buddhist.)

Here it is - https://youtu.be/Ku8cCrdh4Ic

Back to the question posed in the OP: Personhood is like a pleasant dream or distrubing nightmare. We awake from it, eventually...

[Honza]

Originally Posted by J_A_S_G

Personhood is like a pleasant dream or disturbing nightmare. We awake from it, eventually...

That is an interesting one. Thanks.

[J_A_S_G]

Originally Posted by Honza

That is an interesting one. Thanks.

Pretty much what I always talk about, just a different turn of phrase.

[Honza]

Originally Posted by J_A_S_G

Pretty much what I always talk about, just a different turn of phrase.

In my case I had convinced my self that I am a person who is definitely not God. It is causing me much grief now in the present. The notion that personhood is a dream is very helpful to me now.

[J_A_S_G]

Originally Posted by Honza

In my case I had convinced my self that I am a person who is definitely not God. It is causing me much grief now in the present. The notion that personhood is a dream is very helpful to me now.

The dream cannot be said to be unreal because it appears, however the dream cannot be said to be real because it's destroyed by (self-) knowledge.

Then there's Alan Watt's "What if God became bored" - https://youtu.be/ckiNNgfMKcQ